Not Just A Story
by CharmedP5
Summary: LOTRxHP A book transports the trio into the story itself. As luck has it the boys are separated from Hermione, before they can return home they must reunite. However, in order to return certain thing cannot change.
1. Flourish and Blotts

Flourish and Blotts

Harry stood outside Flourish and Blotts waiting for Hermione and Ron.

"Harry!" yelled a female voice that he couldn't see.

"Harry!" yelled another voice, male this time. Harry turned to see Ron and Hermione waving. Hermione was the first to run up to Harry. She threw her arms around Harry's neck.

"Hermione," said Harry, "Voldemort hasn't killed me but you should know I can't breath." Hermione let go and backed away blushing.

"It's okay Hermione," said Ron putting his hand on her shoulder, "You didn't kill him. C'mon a new book will cheer you up."

The three went inside the crowded bookstore. At first all they grabbed was "Standard Book of Spells, grade 6" by Miranda Goshawk and "Defense, Before and Without a Wand" by Phoebe Halliwell. After they had grabbed the books they went to the counter to purchase their books. In the line Hermione counted her money and realized she had extra.

"Guys, I'm going to get another book," she said and rushed off to the back-left corner of the store. It had three layers of books on many of many of the selves and all other selves were over flowing with books. There were even five boxes of new books on the floor.

"Uh… Hermione what are we doing here?" asked Harry. "All the school books are on the other side of the store."

"I know," she causally thumbing threw one of the books with a torn cover.

"Hermione, these are muggle books," said Ron holding up a new book that read, 'Dinotopia'.

"I know," she replied pulling out another book. She thumb through it and a page fell out but the page wasn't brown and frail like the book but strong and white. She picked up the page and read it out loud.

" '_-Where the stone had fallen and they moved slowly towards the foot of the cliff._

'_Why did you do that Boromir?' said Frodo. 'I hate this place, too and I am afraid. I don't know of what: not of wolves, or the dark behind the doors, but of something else. I am afraid of the pool. Don't disturb it!'_

'_I wish we could get away!' said Merry._

'_Why doesn't Gandalf do something quick?' said Pippin._

_Gandalf took no notice of them. He sat with his head bowed, either in despair or anxious thought. The mournful howling of the wolves was heard again. The ripples on the water grew and came closer; some were already leaping onto the shore._

_With a suddenness that startled them all the wizard sprang to his feet. He was laughing! 'I have it!' he cried. 'Of course, of course! Absurdly simple, like most riddles when you see the answer.'_

_Picking up his staff he stood before the rock and said in a clear voice: Mellon!'-" -(Tolkien, Fellowhip of the Ring)_

After she said, "Mellon" the bookshelf behind her began to shake. Books fell down, and dust filled the air. A hardcover book almost landed on Hermione but Ron dived and pushed her out of the way, causing the book to hit his back. A book hit Harry knocking off his glasses and another book smashed them.

A/N: cheesy cliffhanger I stole from another book, it's not a bad place to end though. Please review criticism and insult are welcome. But no need to be really harsh. Anyways… please do me a favor and read my bio I posted a few questions for fanfic general authors.

P.S. Part of this chapter is directly out of the LOTR book.


	2. The Book

The Book

Disclaimer: (same as the last one) except part of this chapter is kind from a video game called 'Myst'. If you play this game you'll know what I'm talking about.

A/N: okay corny title but it's a title. If you have a better title I'm open to it.

When the dust cleared Harry was on all fours, Ron was buried under around five books, and Hermione was on the floor with the page crumpled in her hand.

"Harry, Ron, are you okay?" said Hermione looking at the two boys.

"I'm...fine," said Ron trying to push the books off his back.

"I'll be fine. If I could find my glasses," said Harry blindly searching for his glasses with his hands.

Hermione searched the ground and found Harry's glasses next to a hard cover book. She picked them up, tapped them with her wand, and handed the glasses, now fixed, back to Harry. Harry placed them on his nose; then stared at the opening the bookshelf had made.

"Let's see what's inside," said Hermione. She walked into the cave and was soon swallowed by darkness.

"Do we have to?" whined Ron.

"C'mon," said Harry grabbing Ron's arm and dragging him into the opening.

Right after Harry and Ron crossed the threshold of the opening the bookshelf slammed shut. Harry and Ron walked blindly for a short while until they heard a faint distance scream. Instinctively Harry reached for his wand.

"_Lumos_," said Harry so loud that it echoed of the walls of the cave. A small blue light at his wand's tip illuminated the cave. He set off at a run with Ron right behind him.

They ran for about a half a mile through the steep, twisty cave, until they came to a circular room with a hardcover, leather bound book on a podium in the middle of the room. A hole in the wall let in light that shone on the podium, giving it a mystical look.

Harry and Ron walked up to the book. The letters on the cover read 'Middle Earth'. Slowly he opened the book to a page that wasn't all the way in the book. It was the page Hermione had read earlier. The ripped edge of the page started to glow. Then the page reattached itself to the book. A big gust of wind turned all the so that all the pages were on the left side of the spine. On the inner, back cover there was a small window.

In the window Harry saw Hermione unconscious on a black stone floor next to a platform, also black, with a brownish black sphere perched on the platform. The picture seemed to widen for Harry was looking at Hermione through a door in a black tower. The tower stood in the center of a circular incased area. The picture changed suddenly and it looked like a bird's view of snow capped mountains. Now it seemed like the 'bird' flew into a forest, through the trees to a great river. It paused for a second then zoomed through the trees and into the mouth of a cave.

As the 'bird' flew into the cave Harry and Ron started to glow with green glow. They started to hover over the book then everything went black. Harry felt like he was falling then he felt like he hit the ground and his eyes snapped open. (A/N)

A/N: Have you ever had the feeling, when you're trying to sleep, that you're falling and falling then you feel like you hit the ground? It's basically the same thing.)


	3. First Meeting

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize from the books. (I did this now cause I didn't do it before

First Meeting 

Harry got up off the ground and looked around the room or cave, rather. Ron was doing the same. The caved looked the same as the room but it seemed more nature made, rather then man made.

"Ron," said Harry gripping his wand, "let's get out of here."

"What about Hermione?" asked Ron quietly.

The picture of Hermione unconscious on the black stone floor flashed in Harry's mind. "Well, we've got to figure out where we are to figure out where she is," he said as he walked towards the opening of a tunnel that Harry hoped led out.

They walked silently for a while their footsteps echoing off the walls. Harry's palm started to sweat as he gripped his wand tightly in his right hand. They walked and walked until they got to the end of the cave, a clearing of a forest. Harry looked at all the different trees in amazement.

An arrow flew by Harry's face and pinned his robe to the ground. Around a dozen cloaked figures came out from behind the trees on the edge of the clearing. Each had a bow with a notched arrow aimed at either Harry or Ron.

"Throw down your weapons," yelled one of the figures. Ron, who had dropped his wand when the figures first appeared, was now paralyzed from fright. Harry stood still for a second then slowly placed his wand on the ground.

One of the figures came forward with his bow at his side. He had his hood removed to reveal white-blonde hair and pointy ears. He picked up the wands, eyed the two teenagers, suspiciously, with his cool gray eyes. He muttered something in another language to one of the closest figures. Then threw the wands to the figure, who caught the wands with amazing accuracy, it almost seemed like the wands flew into his hands. He placed the wands on the ground and re-notched his arrow.

"Who are you? And what were you doing in the caves of Mirkwood?" demanded the creature (well they're not human, right? They've got pointy ears) in front of the teens.

Harry stared into the cool gray eyes of the man-like creature in front of him.

"What are you? You look like mortal men but your clothes are unknown to me," he said quizzically.

"We're," said Harry, "...wizards-"

The creature's hands moved faster then eyes could see. He grabbed an arrow from his quiver on his back, and notched it, aiming it at Harry.

"What devilry do you think you are playing at?" he yelled. "There are only five wizards in these lands and neither of you are one of them!"

"We are wizards. We use our wands and cast spells," insisted Harry.

"Stop your lies or you'll never leave this forest."

Harry stood there and stared into the cool gray eyes of the creature in front of him. Slowly the creature pulled back his bowstring, ready to fire at any moment. He loosened his grip to release his arrow when a voice was heard in the cave.

"Dathod lle leithio, Legolas!(hold your fire)" yelled a girl, who looked around Harry's age, that was running out of the cave. She was wearing a Hogwarts uniform and she looked exactly like a girl from Ravenclaw but...

AN: I didn't know where to go with that last sentence but it doesn't make any difference anyways. The elvish in this story might not be accurate and I know the grammar isn't either(in this chapter and chapters to come) so don't get mad if it's ever wrong.


	4. King of Mirkwood

Disclaimer: the same as the last one so, I'm never wasting my time to do this again. (unless something is different) I took a few paragraphs right out of the Hobbit(some of them are ever so slightly rewritten to fit my story) so...I don't own that at all.

King of Mirkwood

"Lirill culle. Sina ilnae palurinsen. (Place down your bow. This isn't their world)," the girl said as she stopped in front of the creature, between him and Harry. The figures hesitantly lowered their bows and walked out from behind the trees. She talked to Legolas(the creature) for a while in the different language.

When they stopped talking Legolas turned to Harry and Ron. "I'm sorry, for suspecting you of evil. Dark times have befallen these lands." He motioned to two other elves, which removed the arrows that kept Harry and Ron attached to the ground.

"Uh...that's...ok...I guess," replied Harry timidly, "but I have a question...um...who are you?"

"I am Legolas, son of Thranduil, prince of Mirkwood. And this is-" Legolas started to say gesturing towards the girl, but she cut him off.

"Ettelwen, witch of Middle Earth," said the girl.

"Since we're introducing ourselves, I'm Harry Potter and this is(pointing to Ron) Ron Weasley."

"I know."

"Hold it!" burst out Ron. "Did you say Middle Earth?"

"Yes."

"How is that possible? Middle Earth is just a place in children stories. It doesn't really exist," yelled Ron in disbelief.

"Actually that's not true," replied Ettelwen coolly.

"Ettelwen, this isn't the place to talk," said Legolas with his elven voice, which was softer and kinder then before.

"Perhaps," replied Ettelwen.

They walked through the dark forest for a time. Then they came to bridge. Where the water underneath flowed dark, swift, and strong; and at the far end were gates before the mouth of a huge cave that ran into the side of a steep slope covered with trees. There the great beeches came right down to the banks, till their feet were in the stream.

Inside(the cave), the passages were lit with red torchlight, and somewhere songs were sung with the fair voice of the elves. The group of elves slowly diminished as they walked along the twisting, crossing and echoing paths, even Ettelwen had seemed to disappear. These caves were(in comparison to goblin caves) smaller, less underground, and filled with cleaner air(so in other word these caves were for lack of a better term 'welcoming').

In a great hall, with pillars hewn out of the living stone, sat the Elvenking, Thranduil, on a chair of carven wood. On his head was a crown of berries and leaves, for it was the season of autumn. In his hand he held a carven staff of oak.-(Tolkien, Hobbit) Next to the king was the witch, although, no longer was she dressed in a Hogwarts uniform but in a dress more fitting to Middle Earth.

Legolas, Harry, and Ron walked into the room. About halfway across the chamber Legolas gestered for the other two to stop. He, however, continued to walk towards the throne. Upon reaching it he kneeled and whispered a few words in elvish. The King dismissed Legolas, who then stood and joined Ettelwen by the side of the throne.

"Lady Ettelwen, has told me of your troubles," said the King. At the word 'Lady', Ettelwen and Legolas shared a sideways glace.

"Though I can't pass judgment on those from outside world, I can, however, allow you to ride with my son, Legolas, to Rivendell for he must deliver a message to Lord Elrond."

"Who is Elrond?" said Harry.

"_Lord_ Elrond, one of the wisest of all elves; it would be wise to seek his council. Legolas rides tomorrow," replied the King. "I must seek business elsewhere in Mirkwood. Farewell."

Thranduil rose and walked away into one of the cave that led away from the throne room.

Legolas stood silent for a moment staring at the ground. Ettelwen looked at him uncertainly and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you well, Legolas?" she asked.

"It is ill news to deliver. Aragorn and Mithrandir won't be to pleased," replied Legolas with a small sigh.

"They will be more shocked and disappointed, than angry."

"Perhaps you are correct; however, disappointment is, at times, more powerful than anger."

Despite his negative comment Legolas still seemed relieved.

"Um...sorry to interrupt," said Harry as politely as he could, "but what are we supposed to do till tomorrow?"

"Oh! Sorry, I had forgotten about y-that. I know where you can stay and a place where we can talk without interruptions. Follow me," she said as she started down one of the tunnels.


	5. Qs&As

Disclaimer: Same as always.

Q's & A's

A/N: Actually this is the end of the last chapter. I made it two parts cause it's really long.

Harry and Ron followed Ettelwen and Legolas down the endless corridors. As they walked, Ettelwen and Legolas talked in low voices conveniently enough in common tongue, so that Harry could understand what he managed to hear.

"Legolas," she said quietly as she led the guys down one of the tunnels that lead away from the throne room, "do me a favor, tell your father to stop addressing me as 'Lady Ettelwen'."

"As you wish," he replied, "Although, I do not understand why it troubles you."

Harry missed her response, having narrowly missed the wall.

At first the small group saw ten to twenty elves in each tunnel, but after many turns and many different tunnels the small group came to a deserted tunnel.

As they walked down the tunnel Harry noticed Ettelwen had her hand on the wall. About halfway down the tunnel, Harry had thought his eyes had deceived him, when he saw Ettelwen's hand go through the rock wall.

"This way," she said, beckoning them towards the place where her hand went through the wall. She glanced at Harry's and Ron's face. "Don't worry it just like going through the barrier between platforms nine and ten."

Harry and Ron relaxed after this statement but a slight look of incomprehension crossed Legolas' face. Legolas was first to walk through the wall then Harry, Ron, and Ettelwen last. On the other side of the wall a short tunnel led the way to a room, much like the one that held the book just with no book and podium. The room was pretty much empty except for a chair, a couch, and a three level bookshelf filled with leather-bound books and a few scrolls.

"Harry, Ron, Legolas, go ahead and sit," said Ettelwen awkwardly. "I must reseal the doorway."

She walked away as Harry and Ron sat down on the couch. Legolas sat down on the empty chair. After Ettelwen returned, she waved her hand and a second chair appeared opposite of Legolas.

"Now, I know you have plenty of questions. I will allow you to ask them now," she said after sitting down, "but please don't ask all of them at once."

"Um...Well..." said Harry not knowing where to start.

"Are we really in Middle Earth?" blurted out Ron.

"Yes," replied Legolas simply.

"In your world Middle Earth is just a story but it is real. It is a parallel to your world." Ettelwen added.

"What do mean by a parallel?" asked Harry. "Actually...forget I said that. Umm...Why all the privacy when there is barely any one here — And why were you wearing a Hogwarts uniform?"

"Well, there are never very many elves here during the day, they're all in the forest, but at night it's much more crowded," she said. "About the uniform...Basics, I was studying your world of magic."

"Oh...uh... how did we get here?"

"Do you remember the book you found in Flourish and Blotts?" Harry nodded. "Well those are 'linking' books that I created to travel through the different worlds. The book in your world connects to the seven books in this world."

"Where are the books?" asked Legolas.

"There is one in Mirkwood, Gondor, Rohan, Isengard, Rivendell, the Grey Haven, and one in Moria but I believe that one was destroyed years ago."

"So, we could just use the book to get back home?" asked Ron.

"Um...no you can't. For the safety of both worlds only one book goes to your world. And it is currently in your world."

"How did-?"

"Ron, how can you even think of going home?" interjected Harry.

"Huh? What do you mean," said Ron.

"Hermione! You're forgetting Hermione!" yelled Harry angrily.

"We don't know where she!"

"So, that's a reason to leave her!"

"I've heard stories about this place and I rather not find out whether they're true or not."

"All the more reason not to leave her here! Otherwise what would we tell her parents, 'Sorry to tell you but your daughter is trapped in a parallel universe'."

"But we don't even know where she is."

"We know where she is—" said Harry jumping up to strengthen his point.

"That's what you said when we went to find Sirius," said Ron jumping to his feet to face Harry. "You said you know exactly where he was in a room with shelves of little crystal balls in the Department of Mysteries. Well, all you know this time is she's trapped in some bloody tower! Somewhere in this place where we don't even know where we are!" Ron finished sitting back down, muttering quietly to himself, "in some bloody tower."

Ron's remark about Sirius hit a nerve and Harry said nothing in return. He stood there silently his eyes filled with anger and sadness.

"Did you say a tower?" asked Ettelwen breaking the tension.

"Yeah, it a tall black tower in the middle of a stone circle..." said Harry breaking out of his trance of despair.

"Isengard," gasped Ettelwen quietly.

"What's wrong?" asked Ron.

"Nothing, I hope," she replied. She quickly stood, "There is something I must verify. You two stay here and rest you have a long journey to Rivendell." She waved her hand and the couch Harry and Ron were sitting in turned into two small beds (Ron sat on one and Harry sat on the other.), a small table of food appear in the middle of the beds, a cloak appear in each bed. "That cloak will allow you to blend in a little better to avoid annoying questions. I should be back before you leave tomorrow. If I'm not stay with Legolas and I'll meet you at Rivendell. Don't leave this room without Legolas or myself unless you feel like getting lost." And with that she left the room.

"What was that about?" Ron asked Harry.

"I'm not sure," answered Harry.

"I must prepare for tomorrow. Will you two be fine here all night?" asked Legolas.

"Uh... we should be," said Harry.

"I shall summon you tomorrow. We leave at dawn," he said and walked out the door.

Harry and Ron lay in bed for a while until sleep finally took them.

A/N: Yeah! I' finally done. I apologize for this being a very long, boring chapter but every book has some boring parts. I don't what I'm going to do next, I'm making this up as I go along so, if you have ideas I wouldn't mind the help. Anyways please review. If you don't have anything good or bad to say about my story just review and say you read it. PLEASE!


	6. Lesson of Trust

Chapter 6: Lesson of Trust

At dawn of the next morning, Harry and Ron woke and set out for Rivendell.

Legolas led the way out of the forest riding bareback on a gray dappled white gelding. Harry and Ron followed. Harry rode awhite filly, while Ron sat tensely on his palomino colt, who had already proved itself to be temperamental having previously thrown its rider when he first mounted.

When the trio camped, Legolas told Harry and Ron the history of Middle Earth.

On the third day of travel Ettelwen appeared on a horse-sized silver wolf. Now in addition to their historical lessons Harry and Ron were being taught close combat with daggers.

After a couple days of training Ettelwen dropped her daggers blade first into the ground. Harry and Ron followed suit.

"I need to ask you something," said Ettelwen turning around. "Have either of you killed someone?"

"No," answered Harry.

"Then I would prefer you to use these," she said as she walked over to one of the trees. Leaning against the tree were two decorated staffs. She grabbed them and threw them at Harry and Ron. "Only use those daggers if you absolutely have too."

She muttered quietly to herself, "I wouldn't want to destroy your blood innocence."

Harry caught the staff with the aid of his Quidditch reflexes, however Ron struggled to catch the staff, in the end it fell to the ground.

While Ron picked up his staff, Harry looked at Ettelwen and asked, "What good will a staff do in a fight against a sword?"

"A staff can block a blade just as well as another blade, and a staff is just as great a weapon as a dagger or sword," she replied simply. Harry, however, stared skeptically.

"I don't believe our young friend is convinced," said Legolas who was leaning against a tree waiting to be of assistance. "Perhaps, we should give a little demonstration," he added grabbing his knives from their sheath on the ground.

Ettelwen turned to him her eyes wide, "Legolas, no... If I…"

"I trust you," he said plainly, "Even if you do hurt me you can heal any wound you inflict."

"Be iest lin, nan' amin ilue'n fallana i ba," she replied quietly. She walked over to her bag that sat at the base of a tree, and removed a three-piece-collapsible staff.

She silently put the pieces together, deliberately taking her time.

Ettelwen faced Legolas, her staff held loosely in a defensive position.

The two faced off, while their students watched silently.

Knowing Ettelwen wouldn't make the first move, based on her hesitancy, Legolas moved first. He had one knife aimed for her heart while the other knife was held in a defensive position.

Upon seeing the on coming attack, a cold expression crossed her face, and all emotion vanished from her eyes.

Legolas closed the space between him and Ettelwen quickly with the aid of his elven speed and grace.

When he was close enough Ettelwen batted away his offensive knife with her staff.

He switched his remaining knife to offense and aimed low. Ettelwen quickly batted away the second attack. Her defense shifted Legolas's weight allowing him to role past her defences.

He prepared for a downward slash at her back, but the moment before he could initiate his attack; Ettelwen twirled her staff and jabbed beneath her left arm. Her blow caught the elven prince in the stomach knocking the air out of his lungs.

Ettelwen avoided his falling knife simply by stepping forward. She twirled around to face him while she swung her staff downward upon his head.

He stopped the attack by crossing his blades above his head.

Ettelwen released the pressure of her staff, and swung her staff at his head.

Legolas moved his hand to block the staff with one of his knives. However, he moved a moment too late. The staff hit his wrist, forcing his knife out of his hand.

Legolas left hand was now useless, being void of a weapon and paralyzed in pain. He now took full offense stabbing and slashing in a never ending attack.

Ettelwen blocked and batted each attack. However, Legolas's swift attacks never allowed Ettelwen to switch from defense to offense.

He kept up his attacks never letting up, except in one moment where he paused to catch a breath. That was what Ettelwen was waiting for, seizing opportunity, she swung her staff knocking his remaining knife away. Then with the other end of the staff she swung and hit his ribs.

Legolas folded in pain while Ettelwen stuck her staff in the ground using it as leverage to jump over his bowed head.

Upon landing she swung backward making contact with his lower leg. Legolas cried out in pain as the four in the area heard a terrible crack.

Legolas's leg instantly gave out. His back was to his opponent, he was on the ground, and he was weaponless. There was no way for him to defend himself from another attack, the fight should have been over, but Ettelwen hadn't stopped.

Her current attack was a swing of the staff that could have ended his life.

Ettelwen's staff inched closer and closer to Legolas's neck increasing in power and speed.

"Ettelwen, STOP!" yelled Harry.

* * *

A/N: I know Legolas is OoC,I mean what elf would attack recklessly, but he was trying to prove a point. And whether it is actually possible to break someone's rib, wrist, and leg with a staff I'm not sure,but I did it on an impulseand it was also supposed to prove a point. 

Also, I am questionable about the elvish phrase I used in this chapter. I used about three difference sorces for the vocabulary but they were incosistance. The grammar I recieved from it means "As you wish(that's from the movie), but I can't heal the dead".


	7. No Harm Done

Chapter 7  
No Harm Done

Ettelwen's eyes widened in shock and she stopped the momentum of the staff. The staff froze an inch from Legolas's neck.

Her eyes were filled with astonishment and fear; her breaths were deep and heavy. Even her, normally steady hands trembled.

Legolas stayed kneeing unable to move. His breaths were shallow and labored, and pain flashed across his face with every breath.

Ettelwen dropped her staff and kneeled in front of Legolas. Harry and Ron ran to Legolas and Ettelwen's side, stopping short, however. They simply stood and watched not really knowing what to do.

Ettelwen grasped Legolas's good hand in her own.

"Legolas," she said quietly. Her usually confident voice wavered. "Listen to me. You mustn't move. It will only make your injuries worse."

Ettelwen slowly ran her fingers down his side applying only the slightest of pressure. About half way down his ribs, she stopped. Pain flashed across Legolas's face and his grip on her hand tightened so much that Ettelwen winced.

Ettelwen held her hand above his injured ribs. As her hand glowed lightly and faded, Legolas's breaths evened and deepened. The expression of pain, however, did not vanish from his face.

Ettelwen released her hold of Legolas's good hand, using it to support his injured hand. She held her other hand above his and once again it began to glow.

The pain on Legolas's face lessened but did not fade and Ettelwen's face was anything but encouraging. She looked at his face. The two seemed to have a shared a silent conversation that Legolas ended with a nod.

Slowly, he shifted his position revealing his badly broken leg.

Ettelwen examined the leg carefully.

"Lay back," she said quietly to Legolas. She looked at Harry and Ron. "Hold him still."

Ettelwen placed her hands on his leg. Legolas eyes closed as he braced for the coming pain.

She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing. She stayed like this for what seemed like an eternity.

"Ettelwen," Legolas whispered through gritted teeth, "You don't have a choice, just do it."

She took another deep breath and looked at his leg for a moment. She applied pressure to both sides of his leg; pain shot through Legolas's body. Ettelwen closed her eyes and breathed once more. Simultaneously, her eyes opened, her arms jerked and a sickening crack broke through the silence of the forest. Legolas's face contorted in pain and he gasped.

Ettelwen held her hands over his leg. They began to glow. As the glow faded, the pain vanished from his face.

Legolas stood slowly, carefully testing his formerly injured leg. After judging it to be fine, he offered his hand to Ettelwen.

Ignoring his hand, Ettelwen stood. She turned away from him and with a soft glow of golden light she vanished.

"What was that about?" asked Harry bluntly. "I mean, why did she leave?"

Legolas sighed, "Ettelwen was trained to fight on impulse, using every opening and advantage whenever one appeared. She was trained to kill her opponents if the chance arose. Never questioning her actions. Now when ever she fights her training takes control. She knew this, which is why at the beginning she was hesitant to fight."

"Trained to kill…It sounds like she was trained by evil."

"Unfortunately, she was."

"What?" exclaimed Harry and Ron together.

"Are you saying she's evil?' asked Harry in shock.

"She _was_," said the elf with a strong emphasis on 'was'. "It is not my place to answer your question. Ettelwen will tell you, on her own time, if she needs to."

With that said he walked towards camp. After a few moments, Harry and Ron followed him.


	8. Black and White

Chapter 8  
Black and White

Later that night, Legolas wondered away from camp in search of Ettelwen.

Through the trees he saw a small stream. When he cleared the trees and stood on the edge of the stream, he looked up and down the bank. A little downstream was a lone figure sitting on the edge of the water.

As Legolas walked closer to the figure, he realized it was Ettelwen. Sitting by herself, her knees drawn to her chest, staring into the water, Legolas thought she looked rather vulnerable. Slowly and silently, Legolas walked towards her.

When he was about a yard away, she spoke.

"Why, Legolas?" she asked quietly, "Why-"

"-did I ask you to fight?" Legolas finished for her. "For our young friends' benefit as well as your own."

"What are you talking about?" she said turning her head towards Legolas, as he sat down next to her.

"I said in the beginning that I trust you, did I not?"

"How does that-?"

"I know you think no one trusts you, but I wanted to show you that fact is not true."

"Why do trust me? I could have you. If Harry hadn't yelled…"

"You would have stopped. I was trying to show you, you can trust yourself…A while ago, I realized you believe no one trusts you, but there was something else. You have no trust in yourself."

"Even if others do trust me, I have done nothing to deserve that trust. You say I have no trust myself; I do not deny it, but I also have good reason. You know who I was."

"Maybe so, but I know who you are now. You have changed, why do you refuse to see that?"

"What if I have? It makes little difference. There is only a thin barrier between who I have become and who I was."

"You mustn't think like that."

"Why not? It is true," she returned, turning back to the black water.

Legolas opened his mouth to talk but Ettelwen spoke first.

"You don't know, Legolas. You have no idea of the seductive nature of evil. Your elven nature protects you from feeling it. I'm not lying to you. I use to show people the 'benefits' of evil: the freedom, the lack of the conflicts of morality, and the lust for power. All of which is extremely appealing to humans, they were easy prey."

As she spoke a strange shadow replaced the sorrow, guilt, and fear that clouded her eyes. And a note of amusement quivered in her voice.

Worry crossed Legolas' face as he gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Ettelwen…" at his touch her eyes slowly closed and opened. When her eyes opened the shadow had gone and in its place was the usual swirl of emotions. She sighed and looked deeper into the water, as though longing to be lost in it. "Ettelwen, you must silence your ill thoughts. You are no longer evil. You have changed. You have turn away from darkness."

"Maybe so, but the darkness still exists. It leaves part of itself, a mere shadow of its existence, but a part nonetheless. It will never truly fade."

Ettelwen and Legolas sat in silence. Legolas stared at her turned face, as he contemplated her words.

The moment Legolas opened his mouth to speak Ettelwen's silver wolf broke thought the trees. The magnificent wolf trotted up to Ettelwen and nudged her shoulder.

Ettelwen turned and scratched behind the wolf's ear. She stood and Legolas did the same.

"I am going to ride through the mountains. I will return in two days," she stated as she jumped lightly onto the wolf's back.

Legolas began to protest, as she turned to leave. She stopped and spoke the moment before the words left his lips.

"Think of it this way, Legolas. If you spill black ink on the purest white parchment, can the parchment ever be as it was. The stain cannot be removed. For me, I began with black parchment and am trying to turn it white."

With that she rode away. Legolas watched her vanish into the growing light.


	9. Almost there

A/N: I have had it with this chapter! There have been so many issues in writing this i have simply reached the end. I am posting without my neurotic three editing drafts, so there are typoes and problems with my biggest concern is HP OoC-ness. But as i said i am ready to move on, beside i took a drastic turn from the original draft. Okay so on with the chapter. PLEASe, please, please review. If it come to it i want to come back and tweek this chapter and others again.

Not Just a Story  
Almost There

Trees faded to open fields. Wild grasses rose to daunting snow covered mountains. Mild warmth faded to unbearable cold. Days of walking in frozen wind. Strength and energy buried deep beneath fallen snow. But to travel over mountains, one must climb and one must descend. The snow melts away. The blankets hiding lost strength vanish. Cold drifts away.

The trio finally reached the other side of the mountains. They camped in a small cave at the mountain's base. The snow clouds had yet to clear. In the distance a wolf's howl sounded across the sky.

Harry and Ron sat on the cold stone floor eating their evening meal. When the howl reached the cave, Legolas stopped attending to the fire, to gaze over his shoulder. After the call ended, Legolas spoke.

"The wolves are howling; has the moon truly reached its height?" he turned to the teenagers, "If the hour is truly late, perhaps you two should rest."

Harry and Ron had no objections. Having traveled for so long, sleep was a well-welcomed friend.

"Legolas, when is Ettelwen coming back?" asked Ron as he laid out his bedroll.

Legolas looked away from the boys, gazing to the area beyond the door. Seconds passed in which the elf gave no answer.

"I do not know," he said firmly. "She had not said, do you not remember? She left the clearing without a word. She tends to spend much time alone. There is no need for you to worry."

Harry stared at the elf. He noticed Legolas's hesitancy and suspected something in his tone differed from usual, yet Harry could not place his finger on why. Harry watched Legolas walk to the entrance of the cave and sit down, leaning his pale cheek against the stone wall.

"G'night, Legolas," said Ron, before he curled up in his blanket; however, Harry said nothing.

Legolas sat against the wall staring at the clouded sky. He wasn't sure why he lied to Ron, and it greatly troubled him.

What was the truth? She had told him when she would return. He had talked to her that night. The wolf's howl was one of Ettelwen's signals. He knew the moon was still low. He knew she would return to tonight. Why hadn't he said so?

His thoughts were interrupted, when Ettelwen appeared before him. She wore only her leather traveling outfit, which left her stomach, arms, and legs bare. Though her face was set showing no emotion, Legolas could see her body tremble. He knew the feeling of cold was only to be a minor irritation for her, and if it was anything more she would only show it as such. She walked only to the edge of the fire, sitting at the very edge of its warmth.

Legolas walked closer to her. Even in the faint wavering light, Legolas could see the deep cuts on her shoulders and the ones on her lower back below the edge of her top. As though Ettelwen could sense his eyes on her, the cuts began to glow and heal.

"Manke dele lle? (Where have you been?)" asked Legolas as the cuts vanished.

"Mani en' ta?(Does it matter?)" replied Ettelwen with a hard edge that Legolas recognized and loathed to hear.

"Lle pedoe lle entuluva e' atta relea,(You said you would return in two days)" said Legolas firmly, "Lempe waane.(Five have passed.)"

"Ta nae n'uma ant' ten' lee delaya," (There was no need for you to worry.)

Legolas couldn't match her, and didn't even try to respond. He removed his cloak and dropped it upon her shoulders, before he walked over to his own bed roll.

Ettelwen acted as though she didn't even notice, but the fact that she didn't shrug it off comforted him. He sighed as he lay down to sleep, respectfully turning away from her.

The fire shrunk as time past. Ettelwen had not moved. Once the flames fell to glowing cinders, Ettelwen pulled the cloak from her shoulders.

She walked to where Legolas slept and laid the cloak on top of him. She waved her hand above his face. His face shown faintly for a second. When the light faded, he appeared to have fallen into a deeper sleep.

"Drop your pretense, Harry," said Ettelwen loud enough for him to hear, "I know you're awake."

Harry sat up as Ettelwen walked back to the fire and sat down. With another wave of her arm the fire relit despite the lack of fuel.

"How could you tell?" inquired Harry as he sat up.

"One thing many people fail to realize is that in sleep breathing steadies," she spoke plainly as though reading from a text book, "But aside from that you flinched each time the wood cracked and when I first stood, as well."

"I guess you would notice that," murmured Harry.

He started to move aside his blankets, but Ettelwen held out her hand in a gesture to stop him.

"You're not staying awake for much longer. What did Legolas tell you?" she spoke glancing at him for the first time.

"He didn't tell us anything," said Harry after he settled back into his blankets.

"He told you something." She gazed into the fire. "I see your weariness. Something forced you to fight the pull of sleep."

Harry hesitated staring at her unmoving form. Firelight flickered on her pale face and danced on her ebony hair.

"You are not afraid," she mused. "He didn't tell you everything."

"Legolas didn't tell us anything. He only said you were trained to kill. Then he admitted you were raised by evil, but-"

"Are you skeptical of his word?"

"I don't know. You've only ever been kind to Ron and me. You've never seemed evil," uncertainty faded with each word, and renewed with new conviction he spoke, "It doesn't matter who you were, what matters is who you are now."

"Do you truly believe that, Harry?" she said quietly. "Do you believe Deatheaters could redeem themselves?"

Harry was slightly taken aback by the reference to his own world; he could not respond.

"I learned much of your world," she spoke filling his silence, "in the time I was there. Their crimes are nothing compared to mine. They have reasons for their actions."

"Hatred? Entertainment?" Harry said quietly, "Those aren't reasons."

"There is little you understand. Hatred, anger, they are reasons. Not necessarily justifiable reasons, but reasons nonetheless. Besides, you speak of their reasons for torture, not murder. They only kill as an end," she paused as though waiting for a response, but Harry had none.

"I was found Mordor and raised by Morgoth himself. I learned the rush of battle, the lust of death, the pleasure of revenge. Anger, fear, and hatred, those were the emotions I knew. What little sense of loyalty I had was only to Morgoth and only because he could take my life. That was all that mattered, keeping myself alive."

"You saved Ron and me when we first got here. You could have let us die," said Harry, finally able to muster a response. He stared at her, watching her eyes thought she did not look at him. "Why didn't you?"

"You don't see it? You came here because of my carelessness. Getting you home safely is for my benefit-not yours. Any physical pain I can endure, but some pain is unavoidable."

"Evil doesn't feel that pain," Harry's fists clenched as a certain female Deatheater appeared in his mind. "You said you only felt fear, anger, and hatred," he continued. "Something must have changed for you."

"I knew of other such emotions, but only their names. They filled the hearts of many victims. Fueled their actions. I never understood it, I still don't. Men asked me to kill them, saying they failed in protecting their family. Many times I did, other times their pain was amusing. I didn't understand it.

"Morgoth once saw a man as threat, but the man was still a child, a baby. Still it was my duty to kill him. It was much like your story, in the beginning. The father fought me telling his consort to run. She should have listened to him. Running would have made her death more entertaining for me. But she stayed, cowering, holding her baby in her arms. She begged me to kill only her, to spare her child's life.

"It disgusted me. I killed her child before her and watched her succumb to grief. It would have been more painful for her to live, and till that point it was what I would have done. I hesitated, and those following me saw. As we left a subordinate asked what to do with the woman. He had seen me falter I was sure of it. I ordered her death, making some reason why I couldn't kill her myself. When subordinate questioned me, I killed him. Yet there was some truth to his words."

Ettelwen fell silent, her voice trailing off. As her memory resurfaced, her composure faltered. Her eyes closed, and she shook her head dispelling the mist of the memory.

"There was no reason to tell you that," she breathed. "Perhaps it for the best though, in time you will need to know the horrors of what I've done. I do not mean to frighten you. Despite if it did or not, it's time for you to sleep. Rivendell is not far but we need to reach it before sundown. Dark times have befallen these lands, and you have landed in the midst of all of it."

Finally she stood, and like Legolas, walked to the edge of the cave, except she did not sit. Harry watched her, as the un-fueled flames began to fade. She turned looking back at him over her shoulder. The state of unconsciousness unfurled itself around him. Before darkness fell entirely upon him, he could only see diminishing firelight reflecting in the wine-colored glass of her eyes. The fire faded; her eyes faded into the darkness; words whispered in darkness.

"Nowhere is safe now….."


	10. A Taste of Home

A/N: okay, so I'm finally able to update. It didn't quite cover everything I wanted because of the mere length, oh well it worked out well enough. One would think I've been taking a break, considering how long I actually take to update, but I haven't I've begun to write the chapters out of order. I could say more but i forgot, so I guess if you haven't skipped this then onto the actual chapter.

Chapter 10: A Taste of Home

Harry's eyes opened, startled from his sleep. Whether the state of finding himself asleep, the slight chill, Ron's raucous snores, or the sound of voices had startled him awake, he was not sure.

Removing himself from the tangle of blankets, he sat up. As he attempted to look around, he noticed a semi-transparent black line between a field of clear surroundings and a field of blurred colors. The results of his glasses, which rested skewed upon his face.

After a slight adjustment of them, he took a true look at his surroundings. Ron lay asleep, snoring like some wild animal; Legolas's bedding lay empty as though unused. Harry's eyes swept the cave for the missing elf. Aside from the fire's bits of broken wood, which remained where the flames burned the night before, nothing else stood out in the cave.

As he stared at the blackened wood, the memory of the night before flashed into his mind. Ettelwen sat before an un-fueled flame. Her expression unintelligible as she told her story. The memory receded to the back of his mind as Ettelwen's voice rang in his ears.

Harry's eyes found the source of the sound at the mouth of the cave. Two figures stood together at the entrance, Legolas stood with his back to the cave and Ettelwen stood with him, her back to the snow

"…Horses wait where the snow clears," said Ettelwen, quietly.

"We do not require haste. The horses are not necessary," replied Legolas calmly.

"You are mistaken," corrected Ettelwen gravely, "It is uncertain how long these lands will be safe. The shadow has grown, already it has reached the borders of the realms of men: whispers now spread of Isengard." Ettelwen's gaze shifted. Her eyes rose above Legolas's shoulder. Amethyst locked with Emerald, the unwavering gaze caused a great wave of uneasiness to wash over the young wizard. "Mellonron aa' termarava rashwe (1)."

Harry looked away focusing his eyes on the folds in the blanket, as Legolas began to speak. The elf-prince's voice dropped to a near-inaudible whisper.

"What have you heard?" asked Legolas, darkly.

"No more than whispers, it is not safe to discuss them here," she answered looking back at the elf.

"Often do you use those words to evade an answer," sighed Legolas.

"Their truth does not wane," she answered quietly. Her soft voice spoke defensively confirming the truth behind her words. Once again she looked up at Harry and spoke plainly, "Our young companion is awake."

Legolas stood momentarily stunned by the change of subject as she brushed past him. He watched her for a moment before he sighed again and followed her into the cave. After only a few steps, a familiar giant wolf peaked into the opening of the cave. A small satchel hung from between her teeth. Morie made a small whimper, alerting the elf and witch to her presence.

Legolas stopped and turned. He returned to the entrance of the cave. The wolf sniffed the prince's out-stretched hand before dropping the bag into it. Before turning back around, the elf stroked the magnificent wolf's nose. Morie happily received the friendly touch before leaving the entrance.

When Legolas returned to the cave, the wolf walked back to the snow covered mountains. Her silver fur soon lost amongst the snow-white terrain.

Within the interior of the cave, Ettelwen gave her attention to the dead fire circle. Much to Harry's surprise, she dropped her hand into the ashes, sifting through the charred fragments of wood. In the sea of white ash, the red pieces emerged into the open air.

"Er…Ettlelwen—" started Harry slowly.

"Wake Ron," replied Ettelwen shortly. "We should leave soon."

Harry did as he was told. As he moved away, he glanced at her face. The distance he could recall seeing in her eyes had spread. Her whole presence felt far away. Ron woke with a grumble and mild resistance, as Legolas arrived at Ettelwen's side.

"This is yours, is it not?" asked Legolas as he held out the bag for her.

With her free hand she took the leather satchel. In the open palm of her other hand, small broken chips of wood held a steady glow. Yet where the reddened wood met her skin, there was no sign of the burning heat. Without turning from her task, she spoke to the elf-prince.

"You did not need to retrieve that."

"Yet, I did," countered Legolas, as he walked away towards his bedding.

Ettelwen did not bother with a response and returned to her task with the coals. She laid a small sliver of wood against the coals in her hand. She coaxed the dying coals to return to life. The wood burned to ash and the once blackened remains turned red.

Still rubbing sleep from his eyes, Ron sat up, yawned and attempted to speak.

"Is….there…..anythin…to eat?" he managed to stammer out.

"No more than your own rations," replied Legolas as he rejoined the group by the fire, placing his neatly rolled blanket on the ground near his feet. "I assume you haven't eaten it all."

Legolas said this with an amused smile. Even without Ron's uneasy silence, the elf already knew the truth.

"It was only an extra bite," sheepishly mumbled the red headed teenager, his ears turning a light shade of pink.

Harry couldn't help but smile at his friend. Ron looked up and saw the expression on Harry's face.

"What?" Ron exclaimed innocently, "I was hungry. It's not as though you haven't. Your stomach grumbles just the same as mine."

Harry only laughed in response, and even Legolas chuckled along as well. Ron laughed, though quieter, for the pink had yet to fade from his ears. The mood died abruptly when Ettelwen's bag landed at Harry's feet.

"Inside there is bread and dried fruit, take it."

Those last words weren't truly a command, yet they did not come across any nearer to a request or a suggestion than a direct order. Still, Harry could not help but take them as such. He bent down, picking up the satchel. A simple knot held the bag closed and with its release it opened easily. Trying to ignore the actual contents, Harry searched through it. The bit of food was easy enough to find, wrapped in its own piece of cloth. When he pulled it out an item in the bag caught his eye: an item he could not ignore.

"You may take those as well," said Ettelwen, knowing perfectly well what the boy had found. "They belong to you."

Once more Harry reached his hand into the bag. He wrapped his cold fingers around the thin polished strips of willow and holly. Without really thinking, he separated the two wands, and handed both the food parcel and a wand to Ron.

Harry stared at his own wand, which he held limply in his hand. He had never noticed the subtle uneven contour of the wood's surface or the thin and fragile nature of the wood itself. The warmth of empowerment he always felt since that day at Olivander's was gone. For the first time in five years, the thin piece of wood felt awkward and almost foreign within his hand.

The unnerving feeling would not fade. In an uneasy level of frustration, Harry shoved the wand deep into his pocket. Still, the feeling lingered. Ettelwen's voice came to his ears and only by focusing on the words did the feeling retreat.

"….spells may not work as you expect them too," Ettelwen's voice held a tone of warning and seriousness, but with Harry's distracted mind he could not be sure of the words he heard.

As if to atone for his inattentiveness, Harry would not allow his eyes to wander from her. Ettelwen's attention returned to the embers once more. Even now with their fiery incandescence they rested plainly on her bare flesh. She placed her empty hand above the other and slowly but without hesitation, she brought her two hands together. A slight twitch of her eyes gave Harry the only hint that she could actually feel the heat in her hands. With the embers still in place between her hands, she began to rub them together in a sort of pattern that resembled the way a child would turn a piece of clay into a ball.

As she continued, the red light seen both between and through her hands dimmed. The space between her hands, filled by the embers, grew. When she pulled her hands apart, what looked like two glass orbs, both slightly larger than a walnut, rested in both palms. She held out one to each Harry and Ron. Neither of the boys moved.

"They are to keep you warm," she reassured them simply. "We will only travel in the snow for a few more hours, the orbs should last that long. If I had returned sooner, perhaps the cold would have been more bearable."

Harry and Ron took one of the spheres. A small what-appeared-to-be glass ball only slightly larger than the golden snitch rested in Harry's hand. Under a frosty gray surface, the glass held a ghostly black tint and the center held a faint red luminescence. The orb felt warm against his skin. The warmth spread from the sphere to his hand and through his body. It was as though last night's fire still warmed the cave.

Ettelwen voice regained its tone of warning. "Hold them gently, if you're not careful, the orbs will give off the heat of….."

Her voice trailed off as Harry listened. His eyes glued on the soft glow. Silence fell around him. He watched. Clouded by the black haze, the glass cleared. The fog lifted and the reddened light turned pure. The sphere grew to fit his enclosed hand. The warmth felt slight as though it had only been warmed by sitting outside in the sunlight.

Around the sphere, his surroundings darkened. A flicker of blue reflected on the glassy surface. A spectral reflection appeared in the orb. A shadowy figure with disheveled black hair held a shocked expression on his face as he fell back into the depths of darkness. A strong yet distant scream of triumph sounded, accompanied by shouts of Harry's own voice.

"Harry!"

Above the distant echoes that filled his mind, a clear voice reached his ears. Voices faded; light of pure white snow blinded his eyes; black darkness turned to earthen stone; searing pain rushed through his hand. Chink. The black-ish red-glowing orb hit the stone floor. Concerned faces stared at him as he gasped while cradling his burned hand with the other.

Ettelwen took up Harry's hand in her own much like she had with Legolas's back in the forest. Her deep orchid eyes inspected the red blistering flesh on the palm of his hand. She brought her hand above his. Between their hands, the air illuminated with the soft golden glow. The searing pain subsided to a dull ache.

With the subtle light, Ron leaned closer to look at Harry's injury. He recoiled almost instantly gasping through his teeth.

"Bloody hell, mate," he exclaimed with a slight look of repulsion on his face. "What were you thinking about?"

Harry hesitated. He looked at his friend, a thoughtless expression covering his racing, worried thoughts, seeking the words to say. Why not tell the truth? What harm is there in that?

"Er….nothing," he stammered as he looked away. He pretended to hold his gaze on his hand. A quick glance told him Ron was not convinced. He eyes searched his mind for an answer, something to say. A familiar face flashed before his eyes. "Hermione…."

The name fell from his lips in a whisper.

"I–I was thinking about Hermione," said Harry softly. "I wonder if she's alright."

Ron's countenance softened, his eyes turning to the ground. A small 'oh' escaped from his lips. Harry looked back at his healing hand. In the gentle light, Harry thought his eyes deceived him when he saw the blister recede to the usual form of his palm not only on his hand but mirrored on Ettelwen's as well. With the discoloration of the light gone, his hand was entirely normal as though the whole accident never happened. He looked up at her face but she turned away.

Legolas stepped forward. He held out the small orb for Harry to take.

"Hold it gently." Without turning all the way back, she spoke over her shoulder but still not far enough to see Harry or the others. The commanding tone used only by those of higher rank seeped into her voice, the soft edge of superiority dressed the outline of her words, "It will not happen again."

She turned and walked out of the cave.

Slowly Harry reached for the sphere. For the second time the warmth spread through his body. He gazed at the misted glass. It was as it was when he first took it. The only difference was the growing sense of guilt in the pit of his stomach. Action that cannot be forgotten and friends that should never be forgotten.

* * *

(1) Their friend may not be safe. Except directly translated it's slightly different but the meaning is the same, basically.

A/N: I meant to make this chapter more Harry Potter oriented, if that's not obvious, it's difficult cause I've lost my feeling of the characters. I apologize for any OoC-ness. Actually, in Legolas as well. I also was trying to work on improving dialog. One thing never taught in schools, damn the school system. I'm all worried with other things so yes despite the badgering I'm going to get from _certain_ people, it's is going to be a while before I update. I have other stories I want to work on, as well as stupid school stuff, and band obligations so I'm taking my time. I can't say that any one's a HUGE fan of this or really any of my stories anyways.


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